Wire heading mechanism



1968 D. K. SANDMORE ETAL 17,609

WIRE HEADING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 10, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 \NVENTQES D.\ .SANDMOEE 6.0. STEGNEE BY -C- .v' u a ATTORNEY Dec. 24, 1968 D. K. SANDMORE ETAL 3,417,690

WIRE HEADING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 10, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1968 D. K. SANDMORE ETAL 3,417,09

WIRE HEADING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 10, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent C 3,417,600 WIRE HEADING MECHANISM Donald K. Sandmore, Oak Lawn, and Gustav O. Stegner,

Naperville, Ill., assignors to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 585,466

Claims. (Cl. 72437) This invention relates to heading mechanism and more particularly to mechanism for upsetting the end of a wire to form a head thereon.

In a prior art heading machine of a type such as that disclosed in Patent 3,263,471 issued Aug. 2, 1966 to W. C. Martin et al., wire from a supply thereof is gripped by a pair of jaws and a section of the wire is severed from the supply by a shearing and heading tool leaving an end portion of the wire projecting from the jaws in a position to be upset by the heading tool which is mounted on a shaft. After the shearing and heading tool has been rocked in one direction to effect the shearing of the wire and the alignment of the tool with the projecting end of the wire, the tool is actuated axially by a solenoid operatively connected to the shaft, to effect the upsetting of the wire end and the formation of a head thereon. This type of heading apparatus operates satisfactorily providing the wire to be headed is not too hard or large. However, when the wire to be headed is made of a hard metal, it is desired to have a mechanism with a heading tool capable of delivering a more powerful impact to upset the wire and form a head thereon.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an efficient and effective mechanism capable of delivering a relatively heavy impact to an element in its ath. p A further object of the invention is to provide a wire heading mechanism which is simple in construction and operation.

Mechanism illustrating certain aspects of the invention may include a hammer pivotally mounted and stressed by a spring from a cocked position to an operative position for imparting a percussive impact to a punch mounted in its path. The punch is movably supported in alignment with the protruding end of a wire supported in a pair of clamping jaws and cooperates with the jaws to upset the end of the wire to form a head thereon. A pivoted latch is moved through a predetermined distance by a fluid operated actuator and at the end of its stroke in one direction the latch effects a connection with the hammer in its operative position, and in response to movement of the latch in the reverse direction the latch re tracts the hammer to a cocked position While compressing the spring, and then holds the hammer in such cocked position. A cam element spring pressed into the path of movement of the latch effects the disengagement of the latch from the hammer during the initial portion of the movement of the latch in the one direction, resulting in the percussive engagement of the spring biased hammer with the punch and the heading of the wire. As the latch is carried by the actuator and approaches the end of its stroke in the one direction, the latch is connected to the hammer, and in response to the reverse movement of the latch under control of the actuator, the latch acts to return the hammer to its cocked position.

Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a lead forming machine with the improved wire heading mechanism thereon embodying the present invention and showing the 3,417,600 Patented Dec. 24, 1968 hammer of the wire upsetting mechanism in an operative position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the wire heading mechanism taken on line 22 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View of a portion of the wire heading mechanism showing the ham mer in the cocked position;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view through a portion of the wire heading mechanism taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the lead forming apparatus and wire heading mechanism taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1 and showing some of the components of the apparatus in One position;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the lead forming apparatus similar to FIG. 5 and showing some of the components in another position;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a latch of the wire heading mechanism;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of portions of the hammer and the latch in the position shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of portions of the hammer and the latch in the position shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the improved wire heading mechanism is shown applied to an apparatus for forming headed leads of the type disclosed in the aforementioned patent. The apparatus comprises a pair of feed wheels 15, 16 which are driven to effect the intermittent advancement of a wire 18 along a predetermined axis through a guide tube 20 supported in a frame plate 21 of the apparatus and between stationary and movable gripping jaws 22 and 23 respectively. The jaw 22 is fixedly secured to the frame plate 21, and the movable jaw 23 is supported on the frame plate in a horizontal guideway and is urged by a spring 25 toward the stationary jaw to grip the wire therebetween. A pin 27 extending laterally from the movable jaw engages a lever 28 which is pivotally supported at one end 29 on a stationary bracket 30 and is actuated by a rocker arm 35. The arm 35 is secured to a rock shaft 36 which is suitably mounted in the apparatus for oscillatory and axial movements, and the arm 35 is rocked to and from the positions shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 by suitable mechanism as disclosed in the aforementioned patent to effect the gripping and releasing of the wire by the movable jaw 23 in timed relation to the intermittent advancement of the wire.

A shear blade 39 of a predetermined thickness is pivotally supported beside the gripping jaws 22 and 23 on a pivot pin 40 (FIGS. 1, 5 and 6) and is stressed by a spring 41 for rotation in a clockwise direction to a normal cutting position as shown in FIG. 6. The shear blade 39 has a V-shaped cam surface 42, a portion of which cooperates with a roller 44 on the arm 35 to sup port the shear blade 39 in its normal position (FIG. 6) with a cutting edge 46 on the shear blade disposed on one side of and adjacent the path of movement of the wire 18. A shearing element 48 is secured to the rocker arm 35 adjacent to and on the opposite side of the wire 18.

In response to rocking-movement of the shaft 36 and the arm 35 in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the cutting position shown in FIG. 5 the shearing element 48 cooperates with the cutting edge 46 of the shear blade 39 to shear the wire 18 and sever a headed lead (not shown) therefrom. During this counterclockwise movement of the arm 35, the roller 44 cooperates with the inclined portion of the cam surface 42 of the shear blade 39 to move the latter to an oblique position (FIG. 5) remote from the wire 18, and a punch 50 slidably mounted on the arm 35 is carried thereby into coaxial alignment with the wire 18.

A helical spring 52 interposed between the rocker arm 35 and a collar 53 on the punch serves to yieldably retain the punch in its normal retracted position with an enlarged end portion 54 thereof in engagement with the arm 35 and in close proximity to the end of the wire 18 extending from the gripping jaws 22 and 23.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the punch 50 is in the path of movement of the head 56 of a hammer 57. The hammer 57 has an elongated shank 58 extending from the head and terminating in an enlarged hub portion 59 which has an aperture therethrough for receiving a pivot pin 60 therein. The pivot pin extends through apertures in a pair of links 62 on opposite sides of the hammer hub 59 and has end portions which are supported in a pair of spaced plates 64 of a mounting bracket 65, the latter being suitably secured to a frame member 66 of the ap paratus (FIG. 1, 3 and 4). The hammer is thus supported for pivotal movement about a vertical axis through the pin 60 to and from an operative position in engagement with the punch 50, as indicated in FIG. 1, and a cocked position as indicated in FIG. 3.

A compression spring 68 stresses the hammer for movement from the cocked position to the operative posi tion. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the spring is supported on a rod 70 which at one end is pivotally connected at 71 to the shank 58 of the hammer and at the other end is slidable in an aperture in a block 73 that is supported by trunnions 74 for pivotal movement on the supporting bracket 65. The end of the rod 70 is threaded and is provided with a pair of adjusting nuts for limiting the movement of the hammer 57 and the punch 50 relative to the gripping jaws 22 and 23, the latter serving as forming dies against which the end of the wire 18 is upset by the punch 50 and hammer 57.

Movement of the hammer from the operative position to the cocked position is effected by a latch 78 which is pivotally connected by a pin 79 to the outer ends of the links 62 and is supported thereby for pivotal movement about the pin 79 and for oscillatory movement with the links 62 about the pivot 60 and the enlarged hub of the hammer. A shoulder 82 on the latch cooperates with a shoulder 84 on the hub 59 of the hammer to effect a releasable connection between the latch and the hammer. A pair of springs 86 interconnecting the links 62 and the latch 78 urge the latter into engagement with the hub 59.

Reciprocable movement is imparted to the latch 78 through a predetermined distance by an actuator 88 having a piston rod 89, the bifurcated end of which is pivotally connected by the pin 79 to the latch 78 and the links 62. The actuator 88 is mounted on the horizontal frame member 66 for pivotal movement about an axis 99 and is actuated by the admission of compressed air to opposite ends thereof under control of a solenoid actuated valve 91 in timed relation to the actuation of the other components of the apparatus.

To cause the disengagement of the latch 78 from the hammer 57 so as to release the hammer and effect the heading of the wire, the latch 78 is provided with an inclined surface 95 at one end thereof. Portions of the inclined surface 95 are formed on lugs 96 which extend vertically from opposite sides of the main body of the latch into close proximity to the inner opposing faces of the plates 64 of the mounting bracket 65. When the hammer 57 has been moved by the latch 78 to its cocked position as shown in FIG. 3, end portions of the inclined surface 95 are disposed adjacent to a pair of camming pins 98 which are slidably mounted in counterbored apertures 99 in the plates 64 and with the end portions of the pins projecting from the plates into the path of movement of the latch 78 and the inclined cam surfaces 95 thereon.

In response to the operation of the actuator 88 and the retractive movement of the piston rod 89 thereof the latch 78 is carried thereby in one direction, clockwise, around the pin 60, and during the initial portion of such movement the surfaces 95 engage the camming pins 98, and the latch is cammed outwardly thereby to cause the disengagement of the shoulder 82 of the latch from the shoulder 84 of the hammer and the release of the latter whereupon the hammer is rapidly thrust by the spring 68 to its operative position to effect the heading of the wire. The camming pins 98 (FIG. 4) are urged by springs 101 to a normal extended position in which the pins are stopped by the engagement of the heads 102 thereon with shoulders formed in the aperatures 99.

As the piston rod 89 continues its retractive movement the latch 78 likewise continues its clockwise movement about the pin 60 and when the lugs 96 0f the latch have moved past the camming pins 95, the free end of the latch 78 is returned by the springs 86 into engagement with the hub 59 of the hammer, and the shoulders 82 and 84 of the latch and the hub, respectively, are in po-' sition for effecting a locking connection therebetween as shown in FIG. 1.

On completion of the heading operation the actuator 88 is operated to move the piston rod 89 in an advancing direction and cause the movement of the latch in a reverse or counterclockwise direction about the pin 60 and thereby effect the rocking movement of the hammer 57 in the same direction fro-m its operative position to its cocked position. During this counterclockwise movement of the latch 78 the cam pins 98 engage sloping cam surfaces 105 on the ends of the lugs 96 and are pushed axially inwardly thereby as the lugs 96 are carried therepast, at which time the cam pins 98 are spring returned to their normal extended positions.

In each cycle of operation of the apparatus and during the counterclockwise movement of the latch 78 (FIGS. 1 and 3), the shaft 36 and the arm 35 are oscillated in a clockwise direction (FIGS. 5 and 6) to effect the movement of the wire clamping jaw 23 to open position and the return of the rocker arm 35 and the shearing blade 39 to their normal positions (FIG. 6). Thereafter the feed wheel is momentarily brought into engagement with the wire 18 to impart movement thereto and cause the headed end portion 18-1 of the wire to be advanced a predetermined distance beyond the shearing blade 39 (FIG. 3). The shaft 36 and the lever 35 are then rocked in a counterclockwise direction to effect the gripping of the wire by the jaws and the shearing of a headed lead from the wire, the movement of the shear blade 39 to its upper position, and the alignment of the punch 50 with the wire 18.

The actuator 88 is then operated in the reverse direction to cause the retractive movement of the piston rod 89 and thereby effect the movement of the latch 78 in a clockwise direction about the pin 60, during the initial portion of which movement the latch is cammed outwardly by the camming pins 98 to effect the release of the hammer 57 and the actuation of the latter into percussive engagement with the punch 50 and the upsetting of the end of the wire 18 to form a head 181 thereon.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of this invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the type described, the combination of:

a hammer mounted for pivotal movement to and from a cocked position and an operative position and having a head for imparting an impact to an element in its path at the operative position;

means for stressing said hammer for movement from the cooked position to the operative position;

a latch releasably connectable to said hammer for effecting the movement thereof from the operative position to the cocked position;

actuating means pivotally connected to said latch for imparting back and forth movement thereto through tion of:

a predetermined distance whereby said latch is connected to said hammer in its operative position in response to said movement of said latch in one direction, and said hammer is moved to the cocked position in response to movement of said latch in the reverse direction; and

means operable in response to the initial portion of the movement of said latch in said one direction after said hammer has been moved to the cocked position for disengaging said latch from said hammer whereby said hammer is actuated to the operative position.

2. In a device of the type described, the combination a hammer mounted for pivotal movement to and from a cocked position and an operative position and having a head for imparting an impact to an element in its path at the operative position;

resilient means for urging said hammer for movement from the cocked position to the operative position;

a latch releasably connectable to said hammer for effecting the movement thereof from the operative position to the cocked position;

means including an actuator and a reciprocable piston rod pivotally connected to said latch for imparting back and forth movement thereto through a predetermined distance whereby said latch is connected to said hammer in its operative position in response to said movement of said latch in one direction, and said hammer is moved to the cocked position in response to movement of said latch in the reverse direction;

a cam element mounted adjacent to said latch at the end of its movement in the reverse direction and for movement transversely of the path of movement of said latch into and out of the path thereof;

resilient means for yieldably supporting said cam element in a normal position in the path of movement of said latch wherein said cam element serves to disengage said latch from said hammer during the initial portion of the movement of said latch in said one direction; and

means for moving said cam element out of the path of said latch during the movement of said latch in the reverse direction.

3. In a device of the type described, the combinaa hammer having a head;

means for mounting said hammer for pivotal movement about an axis to and from a cocked position and an operative position;

means for stressing said hammer for movement from a cocked position to an operative position for causing said hammer head to impart an impact to an element supported in its path at the operative position;

a latch releasably connectable to said hammer for effecting the movement thereof from the operative position to the cooked position;

means mounted for oscillatory movement about said axis for pivotally supporting said latch for oscillatory movement therewith and for pivotal movement into and out of engagement with said hammer;

resilient means for urging said latch into engagement with said hammer;

an actuator for imparting reciprocatory movement to said latch through a predetermined distance whereby said latch is connected to said hammer in its operative position in response to movement of said latch in one direction, and said hammer is moved to the cocked position in response to movement of said latch in the reverse direction;

a cam element supported on said mounting means at a location adjacent to said latch at the end of its move ment in the reverse direction and for movement transversely of the path of movement of said latch into and out of the path thereof;

tion of:

a hammer having a hub provided with a shoulder and having a head in spaced relation to said hub;

means for mounting said hammer for pivotal movement about an axis through said hub;

spring means for urging said hammer from a cocked position to an operative position for causing said hammer head to impart an impact to an element in the path thereof;

a latch having a shoulder engageable with said shoulder on said hammer for effecting the movement of the hammer from the operative position to the cocked position;

means mounted for oscillatory movement about said axis for pivotally supporting said latch for oscillatory movement therewith and for pivotal movement of the latch and of the shoulder thereon into and out of engagement with said shoulder on said hammer;

resilient means for urging said latch into engagement with said hammer;

an actuator having a piston rod operatively connected to said latch for imparting reciprocatory movement thereto through a predetermined distance whereby said shoulders are effective to provide the connection of said latch to said hammer in the operative position of the latter and in response to the movement of said latch in one direction, and said hammer is moved to the cocked position in response to movement of said latch in the reverse direction;

said latch having a lug extending laterally from one end thereof and provided with a first cam surface thereon;

a cam element supported on said mounting means at a location adjacent to said latch at the end of its movement in the reverse direction and for movement transversely of the path of movement of said latch into and out of said path thereof;

resilient means yieldably supporting said cam element in a normal position in the path of movement of said lug and said first cam surface on said latch whereby said cam element is engaged by said cam surface and cooperates therewith to disengage said latch from said hammer during the initial portion of movement of said latch in said one direction; and

a second cam surface on said lug of said latch for moving said cam element out of the path of said latch during the movement of said latch in the reverse direction.

5. A heading mechanism which comprises:

means for holding a wire with an end portion protruding therefrom;

a punch supported for movement toward said wire holding means and into engagement with the end of the Wire;

a hammer mounted for pivotal movement to and from a retracted position spaced from said punch and an operative position in engagement with said punch;

resilient means for stressing said hammer for movement from the retracted position toward the operative position and into percussive engagement with said punch;

a latch movably mounted for establishing a releasable connection with said hammer;

actuating means for moving said latch back and forth through a predetermined distance whereby said latch is connected to said hammer in the operative position of the latter in response to movement of said latch 7 8 in one direction, and said hammer is moved to the 2,437,039 3/1948 Peterson 173119 retracted position in response to movement of said 3,263,471 8/1966 Martin 72294 latch in the reverse direction; and 3,306,186 2/ 1967 Voos 72-453 means for effecting the disengagement of said latch from said hammer during the initial portion of the 5 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

movement of said latch in said one direction. CROSBY Assistant Examine;

References Cited US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 11. 72 453 1,797,136 3/1931 Froeschauer 72-437 10 

1. IN A DEVICE OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED, THE COMBINATION OF: A HAMMER MOUNTED FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT TO AND FROM A COCKED POSITION AND AN OPERATIVE POSITION AND HAVING A HEAD FOR IMPARTING AN IMPACT TO AN ELEMENT IN ITS PATH AT THE OPERATIVE POSITION; MEANS FOR STRESSING SAID HAMMER FOR MOVEMENT FROM THE COCKED POSITOIN TO THE OPERATIVE POSITION; A LATCH RELEASABLY CONNECTABLE TO SAID HAMMER FOR EFFECTING THE MOVEMENT THEREOF FROM THE OPERATIVE POSITION TO THE COCKED POSITION; ACTUATING MEAND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID LATCH FOR IMPARTING BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT THERETO THROUGH A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE WHEREBY SAID LATCH IS CON- 